November 2010

Apalachicola was a small settlement at the mouth of the Apalachicola River when President James Monroe appointed a Port Collector in 1822. By 1828 steamboats operated between Apalachicola and Columbus, Georgia carrying manufactured goods to upriver towns and plantations and returning with cotton destined for mills in New England and Europe. In 1836, 50,000 bales of cotton were shipped from Apalachicola making it the third largest cotton port of the Gulf coast, after New Orleans and Mobile. The three decades prior to the Civil War were prosperous ones for Apalachicola.

This Spanish site, dating from 1698, was the first area made into a permanent settlement in Pensacola. The University of West Florida has turned the site into an outdoor exhibit, complete with a recreated portion of the Fort San Carlos de Austria and two original cannon.

The early pioneer farm life and heritage of West Virginia are preserved in this 50 acre farm which becomes a living history museum on festival weekends.

This farm museum complex is located just 4 miles north of Point Pleasant, WV off of 62N.  Buildings of historical value have been moved and rebuilt on the grounds, including log cabins and an early farmhouse, an operational 19th century blacksmith shop, turn-of-the-century doctor's and newspaper offices, and the first Lutheran Church west of the Allegheny Mountains.

The Museum showcases hundreds of pieces of American-made glass arranged by form and or by company. Most of the pieces are from glass houses that once operated in the region of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

Highlighted are pieces from the Blenko company which has produced colored glass for stained glass windows and architecture since it was founded in 1893 in Milton, WV. The lovely shapes and colors of its decorative and utilitarian wares can be found in homes throughout the country.

The Museum is located 1/2 block from the corner of 2nd Street in downtown Weston, West Virginia.

Completed in 1887, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station was built when the area was known as Mosquito Inlet. After decades of restoration by the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association, it stands today as one of the best preserved, most complete Light Stations in the nation. The Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit Building houses one of the finest collections of restored Fresnel lenses in the world, including the rotating first order Fresnel lens from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and the restored original Ponce Inlet lighthouse first order Fresnel lens.

The Cultural Center, adjacent to the State Capitol, opened in 1976 to showcase West Virginia's artistic, cultural and historic heritage. The lower level of the WV State Museum is presently closed for renovation, but history exhibits can be viewed in the Art Gallery, the Lobby and the Balcony Galleries.

Visitors can browse the State Archives library, or join in one of the many festivals and events held throughout the year.

The Cultural Center houses the offices of the Commission on the Arts and the State Historic Preservation Office, as well as the State Museum, State Archives and other administrative staff.

A stately self-contained enclave of privacy and natural beauty, tucked away on 1300 acres of rambling Dearborn farmland. Fair Lane stands today as a true reflection of Henry and Clara Ford's interests and ideals. Work has been undertaken to preserve and protect the site for future generations. Interior rooms and five acres of gardens and grounds have been renewed and restored. Critical infrastructure repairs have been completed. Just recently, the 1915 Powerhouse began generating electricity again. The tremendous strides that have been made are significant and, in large measure, are driven by the importance of the Henry Ford Estate, as a National Historic Landmark, to the local and world community.

The artifacts on display at the Museum represent individuals, cultural groups, and events significant to the region. Some artifacts include: fossils; hand-made personal objects; clothing; art; tools; agricultural equipment; military objects; communication objects; household and science objects.

The heritage of early West Virginia is preserved in the pioneer homestead restoration at this park. Through the wisdom of a descendent, the late 1700s farm of Watters Smith was bequeathed to the state park system to be preserved for posterity.

Guided tours are offered from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. In addition, the park features swimming, picnicking, hiking trails, and horseback riding.

Farming, Agriculture, and Rural Life in Upshur County. Early 20th century farm life was the central theme in the exhibit with sidebar stories of 4-H, Farm Women's Clubs, Farmer Institutes, the Country Life Conference Movement, the Farm Bureau, FFA, farm related industries including the creameries, dairies, stockyards, and much more.